Four cited after 'aggressive' soliciting

Most everyone finds solicitors annoying, but four individuals took it to a new level and were arrested on Wednesday after their aggressive tactics caused more than two-dozen Petaluma residents to report them to the police.

The four were cited and released for operating without a permit, which violates the City of Petaluma's municipal code.

The police department fielded 27 complaints in recent weeks about solicitors who were acting "aggressive, hostile and suspicious" according to a police press release. On Wednesday, between 3 and 8 p.m., six more complaints were filed, causing the police to investigate the neighborhood where the suspects were operating.

Police aren't sure of the suspicious solicitors were associated with an authentic business or were conducting some sort of scam. They identified themselves as employees of Excellent Sales, which they said was based in Omaha, Neb. They told some that they offered job and business training programs, and others that they were selling magazines. Calls made by police to the company went unanswered.

In addition to the citation, Gaines had a $30,000 warrant out of Pasadena.